Improvement in machines for making barbed fence-wires



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

H. W. PU'INAM.

MACHINE FOR MAKING BARBED FENCEWIRE.

Patented Feb. 15, 1876.

N \yENTID f MPETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAFHER, WASHINGTON. D C,

UNI ED STATES PATENT Genoa HENRY W. PUTNAM, OF BENNINGTON, VERMONT.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR MAKING BARBED FENCE- WIRES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 173,667., dated February 15, 1876; application filed January 20, 1876.

; To all whom it-may concern: Be it known that I, HENRY W. PU'rNAM,

of Bennington, in the county of Benniugton and State of Vermont, have invented certain new and useful .lmprovements in Machines for Making Barbed Fence Wire or fencing; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same,

* end. Fig. 4 represents, upon' an enlarged scale, a top or plan view of a section of the machine, as will be hereafter explained. Fig.

"5 represents a side view of a section of the rear portion of the machine, looking in the direction of arrow 1,Fig. l, as willbe hereafter explained. Fig. 6 represents, upon an enlargepl scale, atop or plan view of a section of the barbed wire or fencing made by my said machine, the section showing four ofthe barbs in position upon the main wire as they,

are left by the machine. Fig. 7 represents a cross-section of the barbed wire or fencing on.

line 0 D, Fig. 6; and Fig. 8 represents a longitudinal section of the barbed wire or fencing on line E F, Fig 6.

To enable those skilled in the art to which my invention belongs to make and use the same, I willproceed to describeit more in de:

tail.

Inthe drawings, the part marked A represents themain frame, which is of rectangular form and supported upon four legs, A, one at each corner of the machine. Said frame may be made and supported in any suitable man ner, although differing from what is shown in the drawings.

will be hereafter explained. This -'main wire B may be fed into the machine from a coil or reel, and passes directly through the machine, as indicated in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, the main and cross wires not being shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The main wire is first passed through an I B represents the main wire upon which the barbs are to be wound, as

opening or hole, a, in the projection b, on the stand-piece A, and under the clampingarm b on the lever B, which is pivoted at a to one angle on the projection b. The wire is then passed between. the feed-rolls 0 0, upon shafts O 0, which turn 'in suitable hearings in the standard 1) D-one on each side of the machine-s'aid standards being connected by a top plate D. The peripheries of feed-rolls O O are so made and'arranged as not to come in contact with the main wire B only when certain portions of their peripheries come opposite to each otherviz: those portions marked'd d in the drawi'ngs-and which portions project out beyond the other portions of the peripheries of said feed-rolls, as fully indicated in the drawings. The main wire then passes through a hole in the end of a stationary bearingpiece, E, in which is arranged a spiral spring,

d, and through which spiral spring the wire passes forward, and thence througha hole in the center of the rotating and barb-winding shaft E, which turns in bearings E E, one end projecting'hnto the rear end of the stationary bearing-piece E and abutting against the The spiral spring 61, as indicated in Fig 3. wire then passes forward and through the compressing-jaws F .F, the latter jaw F being provided with a groove into which the lower edge of the main wire B projects slightly,

while the face of the upperjaw Fhas a plane surface.

These jaws are made inclined upon their outer edges, to fit corresponding inclined grooves formed one in the top of the station ary base-piece G, and thcother in the face of the barbcmnpressing lever G, which lever is pivoted or fulcrumed ate in the standard G,

the rear end of lever G projecting forward, and resting upon cam H, which is securely sequently, the relative motions of thefeed-rolls U U will always be found in unison,and the action of com 'iressin lever G will alwa 's be at a piece m and in the end of the feed-lever J.

given point inthe rotation of said feed-rolls Wedge n, as lever J is vibrated back and forth,

and cam H, which moves with feed-roll G.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the main wire B will be fed forward a given distance at'each rotation of the feedrolls G O, the distance at which said main wire will be fed being equal to the length of the projecting partsd (1 upon the peripheries of said feed-rolls; and in practice I prefer to make said projecting parts d d of steel, and have them slightly grooved, to fit the main wire properly. Shaft E is provided with a bevel-gear, f, which meshes into a bevel-gear, f, on shaft f1, turning in bearings 2 2. Bevelgearfis not keyed to shaft E, but has a slot, into which a spline on shaft E fits. Consequently, while shaft E is rotated by means of the gears ff, itv can move longitudinally as the barb-wire is wound upon the main wire, as will be hereafter explained. Upon the opposite end of shaft 0 from gear H is fastened a skeleton cam gear-wheel, I, and outside of that, upon themain shaft, a cam-wheel, 1, the latter operating the barb-wire-feeding lever J,

' which is pivoted at 3, and whose action will presently be described.

It will be noticed that cogs 4 on cam gearwheel I extend only a part way around. Con sequently, as gear 1 on'shaft f is driven by the cogs 4, shaftf, bevel-gears f and f are at rest,'as well as shaft E, during about onehalf of each revolution of the feed-rolls O and G; and it is during this time that the main wireis fed forward the proper distance, an (1 also the barb or cross-wire is also fed forward the desired length necessary to form the coils about the main wire and the barb on one side of the same. i

To prevent gear I from moving out of place after cogs 4 have moved out of mesh with its teeth, a locking-lever, g, is pivoted at 5 and is pressed down by a spring, 6. Said lever g is provided with a hooked end, 7, which extends under the edge of the cam-part 8 on wheel I, whereby, when cogs 4 begin to take into teeth 9 on gear 1, the beveled end 10 of cam 8 runs over the bent or hooked end 7 of lever g, and raises the long arm g thereof, thereby releasing the bent end 11 from the teeth 9, thus leaving gear 1 free to move; but as soon as cogs 4 cease to act on gear 1 the hooked end 7 is released from cam 8, and spring 6 instantly depresses the long arm of the lever and locks gear I, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The barb or cross-wire is fed from a roll or reel as follows: The end of the wire is passed between the jaws h and i, jaw h being held in a rigid finger, is, fastened to the end of feed-lever J, while jaw-'6 is fastened to-a finger on the movable sleeve-piece m, fitted to work back and forth on feed-lever J, a spiral spring, 12, being arranged between the sleeve-piece and an adjusting-nut, m, on said lever. Spring 12 tends to force jawe' against jaw h, and keeps up close to it only when jaw i is forced back by the action of a movable wedge, a, fitted to slide back and forth through slots in both the sleeveis forced alternately against the ends of the adjusting-screws 0 and p, which pass through suitable stands secured to the main frame. The form of wedge n and the slot in the lever J are shown in full and dotted lines, Fig. 1. When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1 the head of wedge a isacted upon by coming in contact with the point of screw 0, and sleeve-piece m is forced back, thereby openingthe jaws h and 2 while, when lever J moves in the opposite direction, the point of the wedge. will come in contact with the point of screw 19, and the wedge will be driven in the opposite direction, or out of the slot,when spring 12 will instantly force sleeve-piece at forward and close the jaw. The form of the inclined side of wedge n is such that the action of spring 12 will cause the wedge to move very quickly after it has been driven most out by screw 19. The cross-wire K, to form the barbs K K, is fed through between the jaws h and i, thence through a hole, q, in the angular 1ever L, hinged at L to the main frame, while its long arm L has a rounded projectiomwhich drops into a corresponding depression in the circular flange 14 on the inside of the gear 1 whenever said gear is locked by lever g, as shown in Figs. '1 and 2. M is a standard, against the edge of which the side of lever L works, so that When the projection 13 on lever L drops intothe depression on circular flange 14, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the cross-wire which passes through the holeqwill not come in contact or be bound against standard M,

but will be so bound whenever gear I is moved so as to raise projection 13 upon the periphery of said flange, whichis on a-line, or nearly so, with the base of teeth 9 on gear I. j

The cross-wire, after passing through hole (1 in lever L, is\ run forward over-an inclined arm, M, hinged at 15, and resting upon an adjusting-screw, 16. Above this inclined arm M is a spring-arm, 17, the rear end of which is fastened to standard M, and the cross-wire passes between the upper edge of inclined arm M and lower edge of spring-arm 17. It is then run forward and passed above the main wire B, and under a projecting finger,

18, in the head N of shaft E, and when in this position it will pass up between the cutters N N, the former being stationary, and the latter secured to a slidin g head, N, operated by the vertical arm of the lever 0,-which .is pivoted at 19 to a leg or projection, 20,

on the under side of the machinef The rear end of the lever O is bent up and eX-' tended forward, and is provided with a pin,

,21,which fits into a groove in the side of a cam-wheel, 0, fast upon shaft 0, as indi-- cated in dotted lines, Figs. 1, 2, and 8, and t wound around the main wire the desired num mew her of times; and,in practice, I have found that twice around the main wire and partly around the third time, as shown in Figs. 4, 6, and 8, will generally be sufficient.

In this instance inclined arm M extends forward under and beyond the main; wire B,

and terminates witha curved point, 22. The

object of this curved point or guide is to give.

the end of the cross-wire, when first acted upon by finger 18, a back spiral motion as it is being wound about the main. wire to form the first coil thereon. In lieu, however, of this arrangement a separate guidepiece, 22, may be employed, said guide-piece being secured to some permanent part of the frame of the machine. The cutters N and N are secured by means of.set-screws 23 and 24 respectively, said set-screws passing through plates 26 and27. (See Figs. 1 and 4.) (Jutter N rests in a slot or recess formed in the top of stand P, while cutter N rests in aslot or recess formed in the top of the movable head N, which is fitted to move back and forth upon the top of stand P as lever O is operated, the joint between sliding head N and the top of stand P being hidden from \view, in Fig. 2, by lever J. Sliding head N arm M, the outer end 22 of said arm can be raised or depressed, as the case may be,thereby elevating or lowering the cross-wire K at the point where it passes up between the cutters N and N, since said wire rests upon the upper edge of said arm just under the cutters,

whereby said wire can be fed to or supported so that the cutters will cut off the wire at a greater or less angle,

If desired, the upper edge of arm M, under the cutter, or between the cutter and center of shaft E, may be formed with a slight groove or depression, into which the lower edge of I the cross-wire can rest, thereby retaining it edge 29 of arm M;

more securely in position while its end is be-- ing wound around the main wire. In thisinstance said inclined arm M is beveled off on its edge next to cutter N, so that said wire rests on is held in place between the end of stationary cutter N and flange or beveled If it is desired to make a short cut or bevel, 28, for the barbs K Ki, then the outer end of inclined arm M is raised;

.but if it is desired to increase the length of the bevel or cut 28, then arm is lowered.

A standard, Q, is secured tothe side of the block or anvil piece, G, which supports the the outer end of said lower dieF; and to the upper end of said standard Qi's hinged, at 30, one end of lever Q. The other end of said lever, which is bent down, and provided with a foot adapted to rest and press upon the cross or barb wire K, between the cutter and the main wire B, is operated by a pin, 31, which projects from the side of lever G, and passes through a slot, 32, in said lever Q, and from which arrangement it will be seen that the foot 33 of lever Q will be forced down upon said cross-wire when the head of lever G is depressed, and vice versa. Shaft E is provided with a flangeor hub, S, while sliding head N is provided with a projecting pin, t, whereby when said sliding head is moved forwardto cut off the crosswire K, pin t will strike against hub S, and

move said shaft E forward to its proper position to pass its finger over theend of crosswire K, should said spring at atany time fail to force said shaft forward when the main wire B is fed forward after the cross-wire has been coiled about it, as shown in Fig. 4..

Lever B is forced down by means of cam B, (shown in dotted lines, Figs. 1, 2, and 3,) whereby said lever is caused to press by means of its lug or finger b upon the main wire B, with increased force at the time when the cross-wire is being fed over the main wire, and also when finger '18 on head N of shaft E commences to coil the barb-Jwire about the main wire; but said lever B is released from the pressure of said cam before the feed-rolls U G commence again to feed forward the main wire. V e

In case it is desired to coil the barb-wire around two or more main wires, then a supporting-lever, T, is hinged to a standard, T, upon the mainframe, with its rear end provided with aslot to receive a projecting pin, a, in the head of lever G, so that when said head is depressed the end T of lever T will be elevated to support said main wires, and thereby prevent one from being twisted around the other-when the barb-wire is coiled around them by finger 18. When, however, a single main wire is used lever T may be dispensed with. If preferred, the faces of both the dies F and F may be made smooth, or they may be grooved or corrugated, as found most effective in practice. By arranging the foot Q of lever Q so that it will be depressed down by means of lever G, to hear firmly upon the cross or barb wire between the cutters and the main wire, as indicated in Fi 4, (which figurerepresents upon an enlarged scale a plan view of a portion of the coiling and cuttingoff mechanis1n,) the cross-wire can be wound far more ti gh tl yand compactly about the main wire than it could be without said lever.

As the barbed wire is delivered from the machine, it can be wound upon a reel by power, or otherwise, ina convenient form for storage or transportation. Then again, as the barbed ends project in the same horizontal plane, or nearly so, and are always upon the same side of the main wire for its whole length, the barbed fence-wire can be wound upon and unwound readily from the reel,

wire No. 12. Of course, the size of both wires cutter N was withdrawn.

without liability of the barbed ends of one strand catching'into the other strands, since each set of barbed ends ,will be separated from those under them by'the diameter of the main wire added to that of the barb-wire.

As the barbed wire leaves the machine, it may be given one or more twists, when two or more main wires are used, before it is wound upon the reel,the twists being made between the various sets of barbs or groups. The

barbed ends can be made to stand in the same relative position as they do when the wires are not twisted, and consequently the barbed wire can be wound up and unwound as readily as if not twisted. When ajsingle main wire is used, I prefer vthat it should be No.9, and the cross or barb maybe varied to suit the particular use to which'the fence-wire is to be applied.

It will be understood that the parts of the machine may be modified and made somewhat differently than what is shown in the drawings without departing from the principle of my invention, one good way of applying the same to practical use being shown and described herein. I

Referring to the feed-arm J, the outer end, upon which the spiral spring 12 and nut m are placed, is made separate from the other end, the former part being slipped into a socket in the latter, and there held by a set-screw, 'u,'=and by moving the said detachable part outor in the. feed can be increased or shortened, as occasion may require. The gripe of jaw 2' upon the cross-wire can be regulated by nut m, since by screwing the nut out toward the spring its pressure will be greater upon the jaw, and vice versa. The feedjaws may also be arranged to move back and forth in a di rect line when a long feed is required, in which case the feed-lever could have a lug fitting into a slot in the slidingjaw-frame, or vice versa. Still again, the feed-lever may be pro vided with a shifting fulcrum for adjusting the throw of the feed-jaws.

Screw p is so arranged that it will force wedge aback, and allow spring 12 to close the jaw upon the barb-wire just before lever J reaches its utmost outer throw, thereby slightly withdrawing the wire from the cutlers N N, and by which operation cutter N does not drag-in contact with the wire when itis withdrawn. Consequently its edge remains unimpaired for a long time, and it therefore makes a much cleaner and sharper out than it would if the barb-wire were not withdrawn slightly after each cut and before the A practical test has shown that unless the barb-wire is retracted, as above stated, it soon wears off the lower corner or edge of cutter N. Consequently this. is a very important feature of the invention, since it insures such a perfect cut thatthe pointed ends of the barbs re almost as effective as needle-points, which its,

is very desirable in a barbed fence-wire.

cat

The ends of the cutters N N may be made to incline down slightly toward the main wire, whereby there will be less liability of the crosswire slipping from the action of the cutter. Then, again, the feeding mechanism may be made to have the barbs stand at a greater or less distance apart upon the main wire.

Operation: The operation of the machine may be briefly stated or summed up thus: The machine is turned until the portions 61 d of the feed-rolls O 0 almost come together upon the main wire, when the latter is fed or.

pushed along until its end is a little past the cutters; then the cross or barb wire is fed in until the end reaches to about one-half of an inch of the main wire; then the machine is set in operation by power applied to shaft 0' in any wellknown manner, and the feed-rolls G 0 feed the main wire B-along some five inches, making about one-quarter of a revolution in the operation. The main wire is now at rest, and about an eighth of a revolution more carries the barb-wire, by means of the action of feed-lever J and its jaws It and c', over the main wire sufficiently far to form the coil U and one barb end, K, the main wire being held, firmly at rest by the closing of the dies F F and the actionof cam '13 on lever B", as before explained. As the machine continues in operation the end 10 of cam 8 forces down the end 7 of lever g, and releases gea-rl. At the same time cogs 4 on wheel I have reached the cogs 9 of gear 1 and set the latter in operation, thereby communicating a rotary motion to shaft E and finger 18 on head N, whereby finger 18 is forced down upon the barb-wire, bending the end, which projects:

over the main wire, down and around the latter until the barb-wire comes in contact with the curved guide 22, which gives to it a back spiral direction around the main wire, so that when it comes up on the inner side it will not strike against the barb-wire between the cutters and the main wire, but will be carried between it and cutter N, shaft E receding as the barbed wire is wound around the main wire.

Fig. 4 represents the end of the barbed wire wound around the main wire, ready to be cut off by the cutter N at its-next forward motion. I

As soon as finger 18 reaches to the point shown in Fig. 4, the coil U being completed,

the gear 1 is locked again, and the main wire and cross-wires are released from the action of the levers B and L, respectively, when the cutter N being moved forward, it cuts off the cross-wire a sufiicient distance from the coil to leave the barb K on that side. By the time the cutter N commences to cut the wire K the feed-rolls have commenced to feed for,- ward the main wire B at about the same speed at which the cutter moves. Consequently the main wire and coil U and its barbs K K move forward together until a sufficient length of wire, B, has fed forward to receive another coil, which is formed as before explained.

The jaws or dies F F are so arranged that, when the main wire stops after a coil has been formed, the newly-formed coil will bebetween said jaws or dies, whereby, when the head of the compressing-lever G descends, the coil will be clamped between the dies F E, which hold the same quite firmly until just before the cutter N moves forward and cuts-0d the barb-wire, when the small project on 00 on cam H causes lever G to force down itsdie F with great power upon the coil U, so much so as to flatten the sides of the coils, as shown in Figs. 6, 7, and 8 of the drawings. The power is also so great as to force the coils into the main wire, as indicated in Fig. 8. By this compression the coils are firmly secured to the main wire, so that it is with great diffi-s.

culty that they can be turned upon the main wire, except with a strong wrench-lever.

As before explained, when feed-lever J moves back to take a new hold upon the cross- 7 wire K, it, at the last of its motion, withdraws the wire, thus preventing the cutter N from dragging upon it when moving back after having out oil the wire. By adjusting screw 10 in or out the Wire can be withdrawn more or less, as desired. It will be seen that the hollow shaft E stops at a point just after the finger 18 has moved over the center of the shaft; consequently when the end of the cross or barb wire is fed forward above the main wire to form the next barb, it passes under the finger and is in the proper position to be acted upon by the finger when shaft E is put into motion. I

It will be observed that by my invention barbed fence-wire or fencing can be produced in a continuous and rapid manner, while all the coils and barbed ends are of a uniform shape and size.

Having described my improvements in ma chines for making barbed fence-wire or fencing by a continuous operation, and that, too, by mechanism operating automatically, what 1 claim therein as new and of my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-.

1. In a machine for making barb fence-wire or fencing by a continuous operation, the combination, with mechanism constructed andar ranged to automatically feed forward the main wire at stated intervals, and mechanism constructed and arranged to automatically feed forward the cross or barb wire across the main wire at stated intervals, of mechanism for coiling the barb-wire about the main wire, and mechanism for cutting off the barb-wire, and for fastening the coil barbwire, to the main wire, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the feed-rolls (J 0, provided with the feeding-projections d d, of

cam B, and lever B, provided with holdingfinger b, for the purposes stated.

3. The combination, with the hollow rotatingand reciprocating shaft E, of the coiling-finger 18, for the purposes stated.

4. The combination with the hollow rotatin g and reciprocating shaft E, and reciproeating head N, of the projecting pin t, and shoulders S, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. The combination, with the hollow ro' tating and reciprocating shaft E, and hollow stationary bearing and main-wire guide E, of spring 01, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. The combination, with the hollow shaft E and finger 18 for coiling the barb-wire, of lever Q, for holding the uncut part of the barb-wire, substantially asdescribed.

7. The combination, with the hollow rotating shaft E and coiling-finger 18, of-the curved guide 22, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

8. The combination, with compressing-lever G, of double main-wire-supportinglever T T, substantially as and for the purposes set forth. 9. The combination, with compressinglever G, and supporting-stand G, of the inclined adjustable dies F F, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

10. The combination, with hinged lever M, of adjusting-screw 16, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

11. The combination, with levers Q and M for supportingthe barb-wire K, of the cutters N N for severing orcutting the wire to form the bevels or barb-points 28, substantially as described.

and holding and compressing lever G, of cam B, and H or, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

13. The combination, with barb-wire-supporting lever M, of spring-arm 17, and flange or guide 29, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

14. The combination, with shafts O and f,of cog-gear I, and cam and blank face gear I, of locking-lever g, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

hinged barb-wire-holding lever L, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

16. The combination, with the barb-wire feeding and retracting lever J, provided with jaws h and 2', one or both movable, of the ad tially as and for the purposes set forth.

17. The combination, with the cutters, in a machine for feeding and cutting off wire beveled or pointed, as shown at 28, of retracting mechanism, whereby the wire is slightly withdrawn before the cutter moves back, for the purposes stated.

18. The combination of lever J and cam 1, of adjusting-screw m, spring 12, sliding head m, stationary head k, of the movable wedge n, substautiallyas and for the purposes set forth. l

19. The combination, with feed-rolls O G,

substantially as and for the purposes set forth. 20. The adjustable feed-lever J, constructed 12. The combination of holding-lever B, Q

15. The combination, with the recess-flange 14 of gear I, andstationary stand M, of the= justing-screws 0 and p, and wedge a, substanof cams B O H w, and levers G B and O,

and operating substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

21. In a machine for making barb fence- Wire or fencing, the combination of mechanism for holding the main Wire and cross or barb wire, substantially as described, of

,mechanism for coiling the barb-wire about the main wire by a rotating and receding motion, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

22. The mode or process of forming barb wire fence or fencing by a continuous operalJlOll substantiallyas shown and described.

HENRY W. PUTNAM. 

